Accident Investigation Report 23/2000

Summary

On 1 October 1999 specialist potting vessel Rachel Harvey, with six crew on board, was heading for St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly in poor weather. Approaching the eastern end of St Mary’s Sound the vessel ran aground on Peninnis Head and foundered within two or three minutes. The crew abandoned ship and one lost his life.

The grounding occurred due to poor navigational management and an over-reliance on the automatic track control system.